Judges 5:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Arise, arise, Devorah! Uphold righteousness, empower the people, and stand firm for the glory of God and the deliverance of Israel. Empowered, arise, Barak! Clothe yourself in strength and rise in accordance with the words spoken to Moses: ‘But you here stand with Me’ (Deuteronomy 5:31), and as David proclaimed, ‘Behold, our feet stand at your gates, O Jerusalem’ (Psalm 121:2), and, ‘I have set my feet upon a rock’ (Psalm 30:9). Thus, being fortified, rise and proclaim that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13), and that the Lord is my strength and my song (Psalm 117:14). And you too, Devorah, empower Barak. For the saints grant us strength in the Lord, instilling courage to face our adversaries. Bring every thought of Barak into the obedience of Christ; and if you find yourself weakened in this task, like Jonathan, draw strength from savoring Devorah's labor of prophetic sweetness.

From verse 12 onwards, the latter portion of the song unfolds, extending through to verse 21. “Rise up, rise up, O Debarrah.” These words are not merely a rhetorical device to signal the transition into this second segment; rather, they constitute a heartfelt plea from her to herself to engage in the earnest worship of God. In essence, she is motivating her own spirit to exalt Jehovah. Yet, one might ask, is this truly the case? Among those whom Debarrah invites to honor God, the priestly class is notably absent. Why is this? The answer lies in the same reason that no priest is mentioned during the sacrifice of Jephthah.